Mobile

15% Upgraded to iOS 6 in First 24 Hours

About 15% of iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices are already running Apple iOS 6, just 24 hours after the company launched its sixth-generation mobile software platform, new data suggests.

According to Chitika Insights, more people updated to iOS 6 in the first 24 hours than other software upgrades in the past. In fact, it took iOS 5 five days to reach 20% of devices.

To determine these findings, Chitika Insights took a sample of millions of mobile ad impressions coming out of its ad network within that 24-hour period and compared iOS 6 impressions to all iOS traffic.

The news comes just one day after the company rolled out its sixth-generation mobile software for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, which has been met with great reviews with the exception of the disliked new Maps app.

As shown in the chart, low levels of iOS 6 started to trickle when the mobile software was available in a preview mode for developers.

"The elevated level of iOS 6 usage marks another notch in the line of Apple's recent hits , which given the company's past success, is not surprising," a Chitika Insights spokesperson told Mashable. "iOS 6 adoption rates are being propelled by two factors: over-the-air updates and the introduction of a number of features which have been long awaited by Apple's users. In addition, by snapping up over 15% of all iOS traffic within the first 24 hours, the release of iOS 6 illustrates the company's ability to manage its mobile ecosystem and minimize exposure to fragmentation."

The 10 Best Things About iOS 6

1. 3G FaceTime

FaceTime has long been a great way to video chat with friends and family, but both parties needed to be on a Wi-Fi network in order for it to work. Now, FaceTime works over cellular and you can even take calls on your iPad using your phone number.

2. Passbook

Passbook may not be a digital wallet, but it's certainly warming the public up to what could be the next big wave in mobile payments. It allows you to store anything from movie tickets to gift cards and boarding passes for flights.

What's even better is an option that senses when you are in the area of the movie theater or airport and reveals your ticket on the lock screen, so you don't even need to open up the app. Starbucks, Walgreens, Fandango and various airlines have already signed on to support Passbook functionality.

3. VIP Email

Inundated by junk email and miss the important ones? Set up a VIP list, so you’ll never miss emails from your boss, best friend or loved one.

4. Maps App

Although the new Maps app doesn't include routing and transit directions -- which is perhaps the biggest overall gripe among iOS 6 users so far -- it still touts some impressive features. For example, by accessing the satellite view in Maps for cities such as New York, San Francisco and London, users are treated to 3D imagery. Attention to detail is so spot on that it almost looks like you're flying through streets as though you were in a video game.

5. Facebook Integration

Apple has opened up social integration to Facebook, allowing users to share pictures and post status updates without having to log into the app. You can also merge your Facebook contacts and calendar with your iOS calendar, so you no longer have an excuse if you forget a friend's birthday.

6. Smarter Siri

Siri has been the maven of answering questions via voice-command for about a year now, but she just got a whole lot smarter. From providing movie and restaurant recommendations and revealing professional sports scores to even sending tweets and Facebook updates, action-commands are much easier with Siri on iOS 6. Although it's still not perfect -- she was way off with the weather recently -- it's a big improvement over Siri's existing presence on iOS 5.

7. A Social Photo Stream

Apple has introduced photo-sharing capabilities in its Photo Stream that allows users send a picture from their stream to a person or group of people for comments. Similar to Facebook or Instagram, people invited to the group can Like images and write comments.

8. Panorama

Want to capture that big redwood tree or the entire Golden Gate bridge? Now you can with the new panorama feature for the iPhone and iPod touch. It allows you to shoot up to 240 degrees, even vertically.

9. Message Reply

When you decline an incoming call, you can instantly reply with a text message, set a callback reminder or even create a pre-set message to let the caller know you are driving.

10. Do Not Disturb

Do Not Disturb allows you to set up a time for incoming calls to be silenced. But you can also create a list of people that can get through to you at any time, such as a family member calling in the middle of the night.

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